Dambusters - Can you help us find their final resting place and headstones!

Frank 'Freddie' Tees was sole survivor of his crew, he spent rest of war as POW,
On returning home to Chichester he found that his mother had been killed when an american liberator bomber had crashed on her place of work he died in 9189 and his were ashes spread over the grave of his crew

Thanks kaagreen - Great info.

Is there any memorial plaque for Frank Tees in a cemetery in the UK as well?

 

I'll make the trip to Flt/Sgt Townsend, when my VW Golf is a little fitter - don't like driving Mrs S's car!

 

Seeing the mention of Bill Townsend, I thought this excerpt from a book I bought in my home town of Chepstow would be of intrest the book is called Wartime Memories The Home Front In Chepstow 1939-1945 The following is a couple of quotes from a local woman .Bill Townsend piloted Lancaster "O Orange" in the Dambusters raid.He was born in Garden City and was best man at Guy Gibsons wedding. "Bill Townsend, who lived in Hardwick Avenue came over as well you see with a Lancaster .They flew up the garden path. I was'nt here at the time when it happened, but all the Ladies fom the Avenue were waving.They knew who it was of course, including his Mother and Sister".

 

Seeing the mention of Bill Townsend, I thought this excerpt from a book I bought in my home town of Chepstow would be of intrest the book is called Wartime Memories The Home Front In Chepstow 1939-1945 The following is a couple of quotes from a local woman .Bill Townsend piloted Lancaster "O Orange" in the Dambusters raid.He was born in Garden City and was best man at Guy Gibsons wedding. "Bill Townsend, who lived in Hardwick Avenue came over as well you see with a Lancaster .They flew up the garden path. I was'nt here at the time when it happened, but all the Ladies fom the Avenue were waving.They knew who it was of course, including his Mother and Sister".

Hi Jason,

Welcome. Are you still in Chepstow? Perhaps you can get a photo of Bill Townsend's burial for Spidge's project?

Geoff

 

Hi Geoff, Thanks for the Welcome other than the info I posted there is not much I know but I am in chepstow most weeks visiting me mum with the kids.Do you think Bill Townsend is buried in Chepstow? as looking at the post ref Bromsgrove it is unclear.Jason

 

Hi Geoff, Thanks for the Welcome other than the info I posted there is not much I know but I am in chepstow most weeks visiting me mum with the kids.Do you think Bill Townsend is buried in Chepstow? as looking at the post ref Bromsgrove it is unclear.Jason

Hi Jason,

He was cremated near Bromsgrove after a funeral service, there with a flypast by 617 Tornadoes, but the ashes were buried at Saint Arvans, You know it? I spoke to his widow a few weeks back who gave me this information. She said the church was a little gloomy and wished he'd been scattered on the Wye. Was he a fisherman, I wonder or did he just fly up the valley! Anyway he's back in his home land where his folks are.

geoff

 

Geoff, yes I know St Arvans it is a very small place just past Chepstow, and so I think when I next go over Chepstow which will be this week I will do a little detective work

 

You never mentioned Chepstow before Wtid.....An old haunt of mine...used to play rugby at the army camp by the bridge....Great area, and river Wye....Canoed at Symonds Yat...Be interested to see anything you find too.

 

You never mentioned Chepstow before Wtid.....An old haunt of mine...used to play rugby at the army camp by the bridge....Great area, and river Wye....Canoed at Symonds Yat...Be interested to see anything you find too.
Urqh, You must of been there in the Army Apprentice College R.E days and yes I lived in Chepstow/Bulwark until about 10 years ago until work and my now wife brought me over to Bristol,How I miss it so if I could afford a house I would be back tommorrow.Back on topic yes I will try to get over that way probs by Sat and will be sure to post what I find,Chepstow has quite a bit of intresting Military connections including a WW1 VC, and a WW2 VC but that as they say...............

 

Geoff, yes I know St Arvans it is a very small place just past Chepstow, and so I think when I next go over Chepstow which will be this week I will do a little detective work
Could only make a flying visit to me Mums, but she has found out for me where the cemetry is in St Arvans so all being well I will pay it a visit during the week.

 

I now have the final resting place of Dave Shannon. A very eerie situation with a reply from two people out of the blue on the same day.

He was buried in the same cemetery as his wife and so I am advised the last resting place of the officer who was in charge at Pegasus Bridge. (I will find out who that was if anybody is interested)

St Michael and All Angels Church, Clifton Hampden, Oxfordshire.

 

Great thread. I remember as a child going to RAF Scampton with my grandfather who had purchased a roll of cine film whic turned out to be a film of the tests on the bouncing bomb. We went for some verification with an invertation. I was allowed to climb all over the gate Guardian Lancaster. Whilst there we were treated to tea and buscuits and was shown around the base. I vividly remember Niggers grave. It nust have been during late spring\early summer as the grave was surrounded with flowers. At this time the grave had a small chain style fence not the railings there are today.

RIP you brave men of the Dam busters Sqd and RIP Nigger.

Lest we forget

True heroes.

 

Geoff,
I came across a File at Kew some time ago but never manage to read it.
The description given is:-Murder of five British Airmen by use of "sweatbox" at Dulag Luft.(They had participated in the Mohne Dam Raid,May 1943).
Have you got these five listed.

 

Geoff,
I came across a File at Kew some time ago but never manage to read it.
The description given is:-Murder of five British Airmen by use of "sweatbox" at Dulag Luft.(They had participated in the Mohne Dam Raid,May 1943).
Have you got these five listed.

I'm not sure what the above file is all about Brian but, I have copies of WO344 files of the 5 that were taken prisoner. These were the only members of 617 Sqn on the raid that were POW's

On the raid

Anthony Burcher - Shot down: 17th May 1943
John Fraser - Shot down: 17th May 1943
Fred Tees - shot down: 17th May 1943

Later Operations.

Ray Grayston -Shot down: 16th September 1943
Henry O'Brien - Shot down: 16th September 1943
I also have the E & E reports for the rest of F/Lt Knight's crew.

 

When I get mobile again the File will be worth looking at just to clear up the point.

WO309/1854 is the File which was only opened in 2007 along with over 400 others in the series.
Some appear to be extractions from earlier releases.

 

When I get mobile again the File will be worth looking at just to clear up the point.

WO309/1854 is the File which was only opened in 2007 along with over 400 others in the series.
Some appear to be extractions from earlier releases.

Brian,

What is the WO309 file?

 

The description for W0309/1854 is below

Detecting your browser settings

The description for WO309 generally is rather vague

Detecting your browser settings

 

Bestand:RAFgravenSteenbergen.jpg - Wikipedia

 

Could only make a flying visit to me Mums, but she has found out for me where the cemetry is in St Arvans so all being well I will pay it a visit during the week.
Being as I have a few other pics to take and I finally have the time to do it I will go take me some pictures

 

I must apologise to everyone for neglecting this thread last year however there was not must time to research these lads however I have just been doing a bit the past week and will post some details later.

Much of it dotting the I's and crossing the T's.

Cheers

Geoff